Valve means for controlling two independent sources of pressurized fluid



D. TEAGUE SOURCES OF PRESSURIZED FLUID Jan. 19, 1954 Filed March. 28, 1949 2 N\ m m mm .5350 E42. .532. mz =z uz3 z Qu Li J mm ow on m N ////v7/// 6,; fi 6 \Qk I MM 8 o. -n on v. 3 v 3 8 mm a 2 N k Q s 0 VG\ 0 i W T a .0 :R on m m W .5950 99 Patented Jan. 19, 1954 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE MEANS} roiijconraor mnc Two IN- DEPENDENl souncns or PRESSURIZED Walter D. Teaguet In, Alpine, N. J., assignor to- Bendix Aviation Gorporation,.- Teterboro, N. J.,- a corporationofiDelaware Application March 28 1949-, SerialNo; 83,857

' l The present invention relates to valves and more particularly to the typeadapted to govern the flow of separate fluidssimultaneouSIyL- The device is particularly utile in a rocketemgine fuel system or the like where it is desired to control the flow of the fuel and'of the propellant,

and to control the sequence in which the fluids than: that which they controlled; such as hydraulic' oil.. This. required the use: of an ac cumulator or other equivalent means in theoilline so. that the oil pressure could be raised, thus actuating the valve; V I

Itzis therefore one of the objects of the present invention-to providea valve of the above indicatednature wherein the foregoing disadvantages are eliminated,- and to do so'by novel and effective-means.

Another object ofz'the invention is: to provide a valve of in-line construction, whichrequires a minimum of accurately aligned parts forsatis factory operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a -bi propellan't valve designedto be operated by the pressure of one-of thefiu-ids which the valve controls;

Another object of the invention is to provide a bi-propellant valve adaptablefor arocket engine fuel system-wherein a controlled time-lag governsthe-sequence-in which the propellants flOW;

still' another object of theinvention isto-provide a novel type of lei-propellant valvewherein leakageis substantiallyeliminated.

Still afurther object of'the invention istb provide a valve of the above-indicated nature wherein-the valve seats of the respective fluids'-'- are mechanically independenti Still" another: object of the inventionisto-pro vide avalve of the above indicatednature-containing balanced seats: to insure more positive" operation of thevalve.

Another object: of" the invention is to-provide a valveiofi the: above indicated nature of siinplified 4 Claims (.01. 137-.-630.22)-

. 2 construction, smoother operation, and, relatively low pressure loss, and still be easy to adjust, simple to manufacture, and positive and efiective in operation.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows. taken together with the accompanying drawing, wherein one. embodiment of the invention' is illustrated by way of example.

It isto. be expressly understood, however, that thexdrawingis for the/purpose. of illustration. only and is not to. be. construed as defining the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to. the-appended claims.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the. several views:

Figure-1. is an elevation. in section taken along.

*the line ll of FigureZ; Figure. 2 is'a: plan View partly in section of Figare L Referringnow to Figural, a casing [2 contains ends. it and-.16 separated by spring chamber l8.

and piston chamber 219. Avalve. stem 22 is disposed: lengthwise in' the, chamber l8 and screw threaded'ly' engages a; piston 2t. on. the right end as. shown in Figure.- 1. The opposite. end of the.

a valvesteni 22: extends into chamber 26 and culmi- 30" hates: in cone. 28 which seats. against surface 36 of seat; 32 to comprtsetherewithvalve 314' which. overns; the. fluid flow from inlet. 36' in the end i4, through the chamber 26 and'the. outlet nipple 385 which; isthreaded into the end" I 4'.

An annular boss 37., integral with the end It extends. into the. spring: chamber I3 and is. concentrically disposed about the stem 22 to ac commodate therebetween sealing chevron assembly 4-0, thus preventing;- leakage from the chamber 26 along the valve stem 22" into the spring cham=- ber I38.

The piston 24 is bored on the right end to forma chamber 42. A second, and. relatively smaller; valve stem tcolinear with valve: stem 22 andhaving; external threads lfi'formed. thereon, extends: from within the-chamber t2; through a sleeve 46 that culminatesin a/COnB:4'$fWhiC1I seats; against surface 50* of the passage 52: to form a second. valve; fi l which governs the fi'ow from inlet: 56: into the chamber 58, through the: passage: 52*to the fluid outlet iii]. Sleeve i6 is internally threaded. to receive external threads d5fofstem44i:

Referring now to; Figure I 2,v the: inlet 5t also: communicates :With passageway 62 which is connected to passageway 84 by means of constriction 66 in a removable plug 68 and hence with chamber it to normally closed outlet '12. Outlet #2 is normally closed by a suitable means such as a conventional valve I3. The main spring M bears at one end, the left, against the end id and on the opposite end bears against shoulder it of the piston 24 thereby maintaining cone 28 firmly against its seat 30 in the nul-operating position of the valve. A smaller spring 18 about the stem id is anchored at one end against the bottom of the bore chamber 42 and at the opposite end against a shoulder Be that is internally threaded to receive threads 55 of stem 54 whereby shoulder 60 is adjustably fastened to the stem Lid, thereby maintaining the cone 63 firmly against the seat 50. A member 82 secured to the piston'2 l, and situated at a distance A (Figure 1) from the shoulder 8% extends toward the stem d4 so as to engage the shoulder 80 during operation of the valve.

Having thus described the device, in operation, it will now be apparent that when two fluids, as for example, an acid and aniline are admitted under pressure into the valve through the inlets and 56 respectively, both valves 34 and 5% being closed, the aniline will pass through chamber 56 into passageway 52, through the constriction lit, into passage 64 of Figure 2 and hence into chamber it. Because of the balanced design of the unit, valves 34 and 5% will remain closed as long as the outlet i2 is open. When the outlet i2 is closed by any suitable means such as valve 13, fluid pressure will build up against the face 84 of the piston 25, thereby forcing the piston 23 to the left against the force of the main spring i4, and actuating valve stem 22 to unseat the cone 28 and begin opening the valve 3 thus permitting the acid to flow from the inlet 36 to the outlet 38.

The valve 54 remains closed due to the force of the spring it acting on shoulder Bil fastened to the stem 44, until the piston 24 has moved a distance equivalent to the distance A (Figure 1). As pressure continues to build up against the face 84, the member 82 will engage the shoulder 8t and pull the stem M leftward thereby unseating the cone t8 and now begin opening valve 54 thus permitting the aniline to flow from the inlet 56 through the valve 54 to outlet tit,

As pressure rises still more against face 3 valves 34 and 54 continue to move until the full open position is reached.

To close off flow through the unit, the outlet 12 is opened by opening valve 13, thereby relieving the pressure against the face 84 of the piston 2t, and the main spring 14 will immediately push the piston back to its original position thereby closing valves 3t and allowing spring 13 to close valve M. This closing action takes place very rapidly since the constriction E55 affects opening time only.

In application to the fuel system of a rocket,

for example, there is thus provided apositiveand effective means for admitting one of the propellants first to the combustion chamber, and of adequately regulating the time lag until the admission of the second propellant, since it is apparent that by selecting the setting of the distance A, varied by adjusting position of shoulder 88 on stem 44, the time lapse between the unseating of cones 28 and 48 may be controlled.

The operating speed of the valve is governed by the diameter of the constriction 6B. The valve may be made to operate with any desired respect, the general in-line assembly of the valve minimizes the possibility of leakage, as well as of malfunctioning, due to misalignment of parts.

There is thus provided a valve adapted to control the flow of two fluids simultaneously and actuated by one of the two fluids adapted to permit one fluid to begin flowing a desired time increment after the other, which is relatively easy to assemble, economical to manufacture, with a minimum of leakage and yet reliable and effective in operation.

Although only one embodiment of the inven tion has been illustrated and described, other changes and modifications in the form and relative arrangements of parts which will be apparent to those skilled in the art may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a valve, the combination of a casing, a fluid inlet and outlet in one end of said casing, a second fluid inlet and outlet in the opposite end of said casin a spring chamber between said inlets and outlets, a first spring within said chamber, cut outs in said casingconnecting said spring chamber to atmosphere, a valve stem having a valve member at one end controlling flow from said first inlet to said first outlet, said first valve stem extending into said spring chamber and biased by said spring, a piston in said casing screw threadedly engaging the opposite end of said first valve stem, a spring chamber in the opposite end of said piston, a second valve stem colinear with said first valve stem and having a valve member adapted to control fluid flow from said second inlet to said second outlet, an adjustable shoulder on said second valve stem adapted to be engaged by said piston, a second spring in said piston spring chamber biasing said second valve stem to maintain said second valve member in closed position, fluid pressure communicating means from said second fluid inlet to said piston to actuate said piston against said first spring to unseat said first valve member and to engage said shoulder to unseat said second valve member, a constriction within said means to regulate the fluid flow let from said second inlet and outlet, a first valve stem having a valve member at one end thereof, said first valve stem biased by said spring to move said first valve member to close said first fluid inlet from said first fluid outlet, a piston in said casing attached to the opposite end of said first valve stem and urged by said first spring in a valve closing direction, a chamber in the opposite end of said piston, a second spring in said chamber, a second valve stem having a valve member, said second stem valve colinear with said piston and first valve stem and extending into said chamber, said second valve stem having a shoulder thereon engaged with and biased by said second spring to move said second valve member to close said second fluid inlet from said second fluid outlet, means carried by said piston and engageable with the shoulder on said second valve stem upon movement of said piston in a valve opening direction, constriction controlled fluid passage means adapted to admit fluid from said second inlet against said piston, to actuate said piston against said first spring to unseat said first and second valves, and a normally closed outlet to relieve said fluid pressure against said piston upon opening thereof, whereby said first and second springs may reseat said first and second valves and close said fluid inlets from their respective outlets.

3. In a bi-propellant valve, in combination a casing including an inlet and an outlet for the first propellant, a first valve stem having a valve member governing the flow of said first propellant, a piston connected to said first valve stem, said casing having a second fluid inlet and outlet for the second propellant, a second valve stem colinear with said first valve stem and having a valve member governing said second inlet and outlet, a shoulder on said second valve stem adapted to be engaged by said piston after a predetermined travel of said piston, spring means biasing both valve stems to move their respective valve members to closed position, a chamber adjacent said piston and having a passage to receive fluid from said second propellant inlet to actuate said piston thereby moving said first valve stem to unseat its valve member and permit passage of the first propellant, and to thereby engage said shoulder upon said predetermined travel of said piston to unseat said second valve and permit passage of the second propellant, an outlet communicating with said fluid chamber to relieve the propellant pressure against said piston upon the opening thereof whereby said spring means may return said valve members to a closed position.

4. In a bi-propellant valve, in combination a casing including an inlet and an outlet for the first propellant, a first valve stem having a valve member governing the flow of said first propellant, a piston connected to said first valve stem, said casing having a second fluid inlet and outlet for the second propellant, a second valve stem colinear with said first valve stem and having a valve member governing the flow of said second propellant, a shoulder on said second valve stem adapted to be engaged by said piston after a predetermined travel of said piston, spring means biasing both valve stems to move their respective valve members to closed position, a chamber adjacent to said piston and having a passage to receive fluid from said second propellant inlet to actuate said piston thereby moving said first valve stem to unseat its valve member and permit passage of the first propellant, and thereby engaging said shoulder upon said predetermined travel of said piston to move said second valve stem to unseat its valve member and permit passage of the second propellant.

WALTER D. TEAGUE, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

